The Season Of Unlocking Begins

“The poetry of four seasons is all wrong for this part of the planet, and this may explain why we are so depressed so much of the time. I mean, spring doesn’t feel like spring a lot of the time, and November is all wrong for autumn, and so on. Here is the truth about the seasons: Spring is May and June. What could be springier than May and June? Summer is July and August. Really hot, right? Autumn is September and October. See the pumpkins? Smell those burning leaves? Next comes the season called Locking. That is when nature shuts everything down. November and December aren’t winter. They’re Locking. Next comes winter. January and February. Boy! Are they ever cold! What comes next? Not spring. “Unlocking” comes next. What else could cruel March and only slightly less cruel April be? March and April are not spring. They are Unlocking.”

From an essay entitled “Funnier On Paper Than Most People” in PalmSunday by Kurt Vonnegut

Now that it’s March and the Groundhog has predicted an early spring, I could get all depressed that I just came back from walking Stella in a real-feel of zero. But ever since I found this Vonnegut reframe, I’ve become more patient.

When I used to expect spring weather to start happening in March or April, there was daily disappointment.

Now, I reframe and think: Now is the season of Unlocking. And I look for signs of that.

Like mud. Mud is a sign of unlocking.

And a snowfall that doesn’t linger too long. That’s a sign of unlocking, too.

The days getting longer? Unlocking.

The flowering houseplants in the mudroom which haven’t flowered all winter, now showing little buds under their leaves. Unlocking.

The Athleta catalog with swimsuits on the cover: Unlocking.

Flower catalogs. Ditto.

Spring will come. But not until May.

In the meantime, I watch for all the signs of Unlocking.

I know there will come a day, probably in early May, when a really warm day will hit. It will send me to my bin of stored summer clothes in the basement. Finally!

But I also know my body may not be quite ready for prime time.

A winter of too many noodles, and too little kale, has consequences.

I know that as sure as crocus bulbs lie dormant under the snow crust, under my Eddie Bauer thermals lies a body pale, dry, and a little bit flabby.

So when the the season of Unlocking arrives (now) it’s time to start getting ready.

So the other day I took the VitaMix out of the cupboard and went to Wegmans for greens to make my GGS.

Here’s the recipe:

Into the blender put 2 cups of water, some ice, lots of romaine lettuce, spinach, and chard, 2 apples, a frozen banana, and a pear.

I blend it all up and sip on it all morning. It’s good.

I’m also starting to jump on my rebounder everyday. I’m starting with 5 minutes and will work up to 15 or 20. After that, I dry brush, and take my shower. This, to move lymph, the body’s first drain.

Then, I heavily moisturize.

This is my personal way of “unlocking.” It’s slow and gradual, just like the season. But when May comes, I want to be all ready to bloom.

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Published by Kath Thompson

I love to teach yoga.
I love having written.
I read a lot of self-dev books and books about neuroscience.
I like to drink really lovely red wines.
I love to have conversations with people who read books.
View all posts by Kath Thompson